Friday, June 4, 2010
Susan - June 2010
“I’m truly sorry. I have not the means to give you anything in return for this wonderful gift.”When I read those words from Susan, an elderly woman who recently received an Audio Bible, a lump caught in the back of my throat. This is what our ministry at Audio Bibles For The Blind is all about: giving the wonderful gift of God’s Spoken Word with no expectation of anything in return.
That’s why I’m writing to you today. When you support Audio Bibles For The Blind, you give a wonderful gift that lifts up spirits and offers encouragement to some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.
When an elderly woman like Susan loses her eyesight, it’s easy for her to start to feel lonely, isolated, and forgotten. But because you make it possible to give her an Audio Bible, Susan knows that she is not alone. She knows that people like you care about her, and she has God’s Spoken Word as proof that she is far from forgotten.
Every single day, we receive dozens of requests for Audio Bibles to go to people like Susan who lose their eyesight as they age. Others have been blinded in an accident, while still others bear the effects of degenerative diseases that claim their vision.
Until now, we have been able to fill immediately each request as it comes in to us. But for the first time in the history of this ministry, we are exceeding our capacity. Soon, we will have to start turning people away. There simply aren’t enough funds to cover the growing number of requests that flood our mail.
I can’t bear to think of the day that I have to turn to a woman like Susan and say, “I’m sorry, we can’t help you.” I don’t want that day to ever come. And I believe that you don’t either.
A gift from you would help ensure that we don’t ever have to turn away someone seeking encouragement and support from God’s Spoken Word. Please, give today.
Tell the Susans of our ministry that they are not alone, that they are far from forgotten. Lift up their spirits with the encouraging words of an Audio Bible.
“We need so much to hear God’s Word during these troubled days––all over the world. This will surely help to lift up my spirits,” Susan wrote in her letter.
Our days are troubled, and the promises of God’s Word give the encouragement we need to face the challenges of each new day and to find hope in the midst of all trials. That’s why it’s so important that we continue to give away Audio Bibles to those who are blind and print handicapped. They can’t read the promises of scripture for themselves, but they can surely listen and store the hopeful words in their hearts!
Susan knows this. And you know it, too.
Susan would never be able to afford to buy her own Audio Bible. Neither would the many others who receive this special gift from Audio Bibles For The Blind. Though the Audio Bibles are given freely, they don’t come free to us. Your support is what keeps this ministry alive.
Thank you, for your faithful generosity. Without friends like you, this ministry would be little more than “a nice idea.” Your support is what turns the idea of our ministry into tangible action that brings hope, encouragement, and reassurance to thousands of Susans across the country and around the world.
Serving Him,
Joseph Aleppo
Executive Director
p.s. Though my name appears at the top of Susan’s thank you note the true recipient is you. For without friends like you, Susan would have no Audio Bible of her own. I was simply the messenger. Thank you again for all you do!
p.p.s. To put your support to use immediately, you can give online at www.audiobiblesfortheblind.org/donate. Remember, 100% of your gift goes directly to providing Audio Bibles to the blind and print handicapped.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Remembering "The Troops" this Memorial Day
Back in 2007, we shared a very touching story about our Troops. The story inspired hundreds of our friends to send us thank you notes to send to our "wounded warriors" along with Audio Bibles.
Since we have added thousands of new friends since we shared that story, I wanted to share it with you once again as we honor our Troops this Memorial Day.
FOR THE TROOPS - October 2007
I recently heard from a recipient of one of our Audio Bibles.
This brave soul has vision in only one eye. He has no legs and only one hand. My first conclusion was that he was living in a remote area in a Third World country where quality medical care is scarce at best.
But he was an American. A severely wounded member of our armed forces. And he could not have been more grateful for an Audio Bible.
You see, our American servicemen and women sacrifice everything to defend the freedoms we hold so dear . . . including our freedom to worship freely without fear of persecution or imprisonment.
For a long, painful season in their lives, they give up their families, their jobs, their hopes and dreams . . . and sometimes their very lives . . . all for you and me. Many permanently sacrifice their physical health, like the brave soul I just described.
This war in particular has introduced a new term into our vocabulary: POLYTRAUMATIC INJURY.
One of our partners explains: “What we’re seeing in Iraq, increasingly, is unlike much of what we’ve seen in the past. Soldiers used to return to us with severe damage to one hand or one foot — maybe an entire arm or leg. But this war — and these wounds — are different; more and more soldiers are arriving to us with horrible, polytraumatic injuries . . . the loss of both legs, an arm, and vision in one eye — or both hands and complete vision loss — and so on.”
As you can imagine, these wounded warriors often spiral into a pit of depression and despair. And for some, the greatest pain is not even physical. You see, at their time of deepest need, they are unable to read a traditional Bible, whether because of blindness or because they are literally unable to hold God’s Word and turn its pages.
It must be like drowning with a safety line dangling in front of your face . . . BUT YOU'RE UNABLE TO GRASP IT.
I’m writing you today because God is calling this ministry to be the safety line for these brave Americans who have sacrificed so much.
Right now, using our network of friends and partners, we have an opportunity to distribute Audio Bibles to our wounded American warriors.
But we must act today. So many are depending on us. Frankly, we never know how much time we have before it’s too late. One caregiver explains, “We’re giving soldiers your Audio Bibles — and they’re all requesting them. At such a serious and painful time in their lives, many of them are reaching out to God in search of meaning . . . answers . . . they want to reconnect with God.”
Another says: “Your Audio Bibles provide one of the brightest beams of light for these soldiers who arrive to us for long rehab stays and who have lost their vision and, sometimes, two or three limbs.”
But so many more are waiting and praying for God’s Word. We can let these brave, struggling men and women know they are not alone. We can throw them the only lifeline they will ever need: the Bible in a format they can easily use and understand.
Since we have added thousands of new friends since we shared that story, I wanted to share it with you once again as we honor our Troops this Memorial Day.
FOR THE TROOPS - October 2007
I recently heard from a recipient of one of our Audio Bibles.
This brave soul has vision in only one eye. He has no legs and only one hand. My first conclusion was that he was living in a remote area in a Third World country where quality medical care is scarce at best.
But he was an American. A severely wounded member of our armed forces. And he could not have been more grateful for an Audio Bible.
You see, our American servicemen and women sacrifice everything to defend the freedoms we hold so dear . . . including our freedom to worship freely without fear of persecution or imprisonment.
For a long, painful season in their lives, they give up their families, their jobs, their hopes and dreams . . . and sometimes their very lives . . . all for you and me. Many permanently sacrifice their physical health, like the brave soul I just described.
This war in particular has introduced a new term into our vocabulary: POLYTRAUMATIC INJURY.
One of our partners explains: “What we’re seeing in Iraq, increasingly, is unlike much of what we’ve seen in the past. Soldiers used to return to us with severe damage to one hand or one foot — maybe an entire arm or leg. But this war — and these wounds — are different; more and more soldiers are arriving to us with horrible, polytraumatic injuries . . . the loss of both legs, an arm, and vision in one eye — or both hands and complete vision loss — and so on.”
As you can imagine, these wounded warriors often spiral into a pit of depression and despair. And for some, the greatest pain is not even physical. You see, at their time of deepest need, they are unable to read a traditional Bible, whether because of blindness or because they are literally unable to hold God’s Word and turn its pages.
It must be like drowning with a safety line dangling in front of your face . . . BUT YOU'RE UNABLE TO GRASP IT.
I’m writing you today because God is calling this ministry to be the safety line for these brave Americans who have sacrificed so much.
Right now, using our network of friends and partners, we have an opportunity to distribute Audio Bibles to our wounded American warriors.
But we must act today. So many are depending on us. Frankly, we never know how much time we have before it’s too late. One caregiver explains, “We’re giving soldiers your Audio Bibles — and they’re all requesting them. At such a serious and painful time in their lives, many of them are reaching out to God in search of meaning . . . answers . . . they want to reconnect with God.”
Another says: “Your Audio Bibles provide one of the brightest beams of light for these soldiers who arrive to us for long rehab stays and who have lost their vision and, sometimes, two or three limbs.”
But so many more are waiting and praying for God’s Word. We can let these brave, struggling men and women know they are not alone. We can throw them the only lifeline they will ever need: the Bible in a format they can easily use and understand.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
"Bundles of Hope" for Haiti
When the devastating 7.0 earthquake and countless aftershocks crumbled the already impoverished island nation of
That’s why I’m writing to you. Today, I’m asking you to join us and serve as the hands and feet of Jesus to those who have lost their arms and legs, their homes, or their loved ones. I’m asking you to provide HOPE to survivors by sharing the promises found in God’s Word.
As the basic needs of healthcare, food, clothing and shelter are being met, we are entering Phase Two of the relief response, where we must address emotional trauma and spiritual distress. This is where you can help. As part of the next phase of response to
We have special Audio Bibles in Haitian Creole, recorded in our own studios by a Haitian man now living in
Imagine a family in one of the dozens of tent cities. Now, picture their joy as they huddle around their Audio Bible, listening to the Word of God, finding Hope in the passages spoken to them while distant hymns from neighbors carry over the mountains. What a testament to the Love of Christ! These testimonies are alive and real, and I’m inviting you to be a part of them.
Just days after his friends and family had suffered more deeply than he could ever imagine, a Haitian pastor stood in front of his church, opened his Bible and read,
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’ (Lamentations 3:22-24, NKJV)
With a Bundle of Hope,
Thank you for your most generous gift to provide Bundles of Hope for
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
November 2009 - Craig P.
Imagine with me that you are riding in your carheading to your next appointment. Perhaps you’re picking your children up from school or going grocery shopping. Maybe you’re meeting friends for coffee or are on your way to play golf. It doesn’t matter what your destination is, because you’ll never get there.
Before you have time to realize what’s happening, you hear the sound of screeching tires, crushing metal and broken glass. You feel a sharp, sudden pain, and then all is quiet.
For Craig, who survived a terrible car accident in September of 2000, this is what terror feels like. Craig suffered multiple severe injuries, including partial paralysis, a broken hip, broken ribs, a broken jaw, a crushed elbow, and the loss of several teeth. Most of his injuries would eventually heal, but there is one that altered his life forever.
When Craig regained consciousness in the hospital, he asked, “Who turned out the lights?” Craig was now totally blind.
That’s when Audio Bibles for the Blind stepped in, thanks to friends like you.
You see, Craig was in the car that day, but it could have just as easily been you or me. Blindness isn’t always something we are born with or even something that comes on gradually, giving us time to prepare. Sometimes blindness hits suddenly, and without warning it alters our lives forever.
That’s why our ministry at Audio Bibles for the Blind is so important. With your support we reach out to people when they face a life-changing crisis like Craig’s accident; together, we lift them up with a gift that provides ongoing encouragement and nourishment for their spirits.
Your generous support will go a long way in providing Audio Bibles for people like Craig, people whose lives have been devastated in an instant.
“We have to do everything we can to let people know about this great ministry,” Craig says. “I have told my church and everyone I know about Audio Bibles for the Blind. We have to do all we can to get the word out...”
Craig doesn’t just use and enjoy his Audio Bible -- he’s doing his part, too. Recently, he and his twin sister celebrated their 50th birthday party. Instead of gifts, Craig asked that his guests bring a donation for Audio Bibles for the Blind.
Craig and his sister shared their birthday with more than 100 guests at the celebration! As a result of their generosity and faithful friendship to Audio Bibles for the Blind, many others are going to receive an Audio Bible, too.
Your part in this special gift can’t be underestimated. You see, it was through the support of partners like you that we were able to give Craig an Audio Bible in the first place. Craig was so touched and encouraged by this gesture that he has taken the gift and shared it with as many people as he can.
Your gift of an Audio Bible keeps on giving and continues to touch lives far beyond what we can imagine!
Please, send in your most generous support today. No gift is too small. The seed of hope you plant with the gift of an Audio Bible grows and branches out to touch countless lives with a message of love and encouragement.
Thank you for your continued partnership and faithful generosity.
Before you have time to realize what’s happening, you hear the sound of screeching tires, crushing metal and broken glass. You feel a sharp, sudden pain, and then all is quiet.For Craig, who survived a terrible car accident in September of 2000, this is what terror feels like. Craig suffered multiple severe injuries, including partial paralysis, a broken hip, broken ribs, a broken jaw, a crushed elbow, and the loss of several teeth. Most of his injuries would eventually heal, but there is one that altered his life forever.
When Craig regained consciousness in the hospital, he asked, “Who turned out the lights?” Craig was now totally blind.
That’s when Audio Bibles for the Blind stepped in, thanks to friends like you.
You see, Craig was in the car that day, but it could have just as easily been you or me. Blindness isn’t always something we are born with or even something that comes on gradually, giving us time to prepare. Sometimes blindness hits suddenly, and without warning it alters our lives forever.
That’s why our ministry at Audio Bibles for the Blind is so important. With your support we reach out to people when they face a life-changing crisis like Craig’s accident; together, we lift them up with a gift that provides ongoing encouragement and nourishment for their spirits.
Your generous support will go a long way in providing Audio Bibles for people like Craig, people whose lives have been devastated in an instant.
“We have to do everything we can to let people know about this great ministry,” Craig says. “I have told my church and everyone I know about Audio Bibles for the Blind. We have to do all we can to get the word out...”
Craig doesn’t just use and enjoy his Audio Bible -- he’s doing his part, too. Recently, he and his twin sister celebrated their 50th birthday party. Instead of gifts, Craig asked that his guests bring a donation for Audio Bibles for the Blind.
Craig and his sister shared their birthday with more than 100 guests at the celebration! As a result of their generosity and faithful friendship to Audio Bibles for the Blind, many others are going to receive an Audio Bible, too.
Your part in this special gift can’t be underestimated. You see, it was through the support of partners like you that we were able to give Craig an Audio Bible in the first place. Craig was so touched and encouraged by this gesture that he has taken the gift and shared it with as many people as he can.
Your gift of an Audio Bible keeps on giving and continues to touch lives far beyond what we can imagine!
Please, send in your most generous support today. No gift is too small. The seed of hope you plant with the gift of an Audio Bible grows and branches out to touch countless lives with a message of love and encouragement.
Thank you for your continued partnership and faithful generosity.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Jane Wiley - Aurora Partner
In a nursing home in Memphis, TN, a woman sits in her wheelchair and listens to an Audio Bible. As she hears the Word of God spoken to her for the first time since she lost her sight, her face lights up and her eyes begin to twinkle. What she once thought she had lost forever has been returned to her.
“I wish you could see it. It’s like Christmas morning when you see the expression on their faces and how their eyes light up when they hear the Word of God spoken to them,” Jane Wiley told us recently. “It’s such a blessing. It never ends.”
Jane and her husband, Wendell, run a special ministry in Tennessee that helps “the blind to see” by providing Audio Bibles and other services to the elderly in nursing homes across more than 3 counties. Today, Jane needs your help. “We need more Audio Bibles,” Jane says. “We have only one or two left.”
That’s why I’m writing to you. I need you to help us provide more Audio Bibles for the blind that Jane and our other ministry partners are serving across this nation. We have dozens of ministry partners like the Wileys who distribute Audio Bibles to the elderly, the blind, and the print handicapped, but perhaps not one of them has overcome greater obstacles than Jane and Wendell. Maybe that’s why I am so moved by their dedication to this ministry.
You see, not long ago, the Lord took the Wiley family through what they call “The Storm.” Within a few short months, Jane and her husband suffered a terrible car accident that broke Jane’s back, they almost lost their son to a nearly fatal cerebral hemorrhage, and together they faced a serious diagnosis of cancer for Wendell. Any one of these tragic events would have been enough to break many families, but the Wileys had to face them all at once! Even so, they knew they weren’t alone in “The Storm.”
“We don’t get through this world by ourselves,” Jane says. “He sends His angels to minister to us. They will lift us up over those rough places. Every part of my life, God has put together for His plan.”
“For He shall give His angels charge over you,To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up,Lest you dash your foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:11-12, NKJV)
Today, the Wileys are stronger than ever. Even though her doctors said she would spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair, Jane is now walking again, thanks to a metal rod in her spine. We’re also thankful to report that her husband’s cancer is in remission!
Jane and her family have faced tremendous challenges, but they still reach out to help others. Your support will help us provide the Audio Bibles Jane needs to give hope and joy to the blind.
Your gifts will be a personal encouragement to Jane and the visually impaired people she serves.
Imagine the look on their faces and the sparkle in their eyes when they receive the Audio Bibles you have generously provided!
“God brings so many people together at Aurora Ministries, and then He weaves it together into a beautiful tapestry,” Jane says. “We are the threads underneath the pattern. Aurora Ministries is part of that pattern.”
When you generously support the ministry of faithful partners like Jane, you become a part of that pattern, too. Please don’t let the Wiley’s service to the elderly come to a halt. Help us send the Audio Bibles they and other partners need to provide God’s Spoken Word to the blind.
When men and women age and lose their sight, many of them feel that they have lost everything. They can no longer see their grandchildren’s faces, read love letters from their spouse, or look into the eyes of their children. But as their vision begins to fade, the prayer on their lips is simply, “Please, Lord, don’t take your Word away from me...” This is the prayer Jane hears over and over again in her ministry, and it’s the prayer she lives to answer.
“Please tell your friends and partners that if they could spend one day with me, they would know how many lives they’ve touched,” Jane says. “They would know the impact they have... Then they would know it’s worthwhile.”
Help our ministry partners like Jane to share God’s Word with those who can no longer read it for themselves. Please send in your most generous gift to provide Audio Bibles for those who need them most.
“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way.”
(2 Thessalonians 3:16, NKJV)
Thursday, July 23, 2009
July 2009 - Wounded Warriors
While our nation celebrates its Independence, I couldn’t help but write to you. You see, this time of year always brings tears to my eyes as I think of the men and women who have given everything so that we can sit under the summer sky and watch the fireworks,worship as we choose, live in peace with our families. They have sacrificed themselves so that we can Live Free.
A chaplain at a military hospital recently told me about the wounded warriors he sees. Many have burns over 60 percent of their body. Some have been blinded by explosives, or lost their arms and legs. Others have even had part of their face blown away. These brave men and women will live the rest of their lives in pain — all so that we might continue to celebrate the freedom we hold so dear.
For many of us in America, the war on terror can seem so far away. We barely even hear about it on the news anymore. For our nation’s warriors, the fighting on the front lines is still raging.
This war is different from the others that we’ve fought. The enemy is less clear, and the endpoint lingers on the ever-distant horizon. The casualties are different, too. In other wars, wounded soldiers would usually suffer just one injury. That was bad enough. But today, the soldiers who arrive in our veteran’s hospitals have suffered multiple injuries — polytraumatic injuries.
Too many of these men and women are left without their sight; others are unable to even hold a book.
At perhaps no other point, will these wounded warriors need the comfort and peace from the scriptures more than they do now. This is the time they long to cling to the Word of God, to seek understanding in its verses. Yet, in a cruel irony, because of blindness or because they literally cannot hold a Bible, they can’t even turn to the Psalms and pray,
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
(Psalm 23:4, NKJV)
Soldiers are lying in hospital beds all over this country because they have sacrificed themselves for us.
After receiving Audio Bibles to distribute to the injured soldiers in his care, a chaplain from Walter Reed Army Medical Center wrote to thank the partners like you who make this ministry possible.
“As chaplains who serve a special group of Americans, it’s our privilege to pass on your act of kindness to our Wounded Warriors and their families. I cannot adequately express how grateful our troops are as they undergo such difficult times in their lives. It has a positive impact and accelerates their healing, knowing someone cares. We see tragedy every day, but there are blessings in such caring generosity and compassionate acts of service. I pray that you will remember the soldiers' appreciation of your service that went 'above and beyond' the call of duty and will not be soon forgotten. You exemplify the best that America has to offer. God bless you."
We just celebrated our nation’s independence, and many of us all around America joined friends and family for a cookout, watching children laugh as the sparklers twirled in the night and fireworks lit up the sky. But too many of the men and women who fight to keep this celebration going year after year spent our Independence Day broken and hurting in a hospital bed. Please don't let their sacrifice be forgotten.
A chaplain at a military hospital recently told me about the wounded warriors he sees. Many have burns over 60 percent of their body. Some have been blinded by explosives, or lost their arms and legs. Others have even had part of their face blown away. These brave men and women will live the rest of their lives in pain — all so that we might continue to celebrate the freedom we hold so dear.
For many of us in America, the war on terror can seem so far away. We barely even hear about it on the news anymore. For our nation’s warriors, the fighting on the front lines is still raging.
This war is different from the others that we’ve fought. The enemy is less clear, and the endpoint lingers on the ever-distant horizon. The casualties are different, too. In other wars, wounded soldiers would usually suffer just one injury. That was bad enough. But today, the soldiers who arrive in our veteran’s hospitals have suffered multiple injuries — polytraumatic injuries.
Too many of these men and women are left without their sight; others are unable to even hold a book.
At perhaps no other point, will these wounded warriors need the comfort and peace from the scriptures more than they do now. This is the time they long to cling to the Word of God, to seek understanding in its verses. Yet, in a cruel irony, because of blindness or because they literally cannot hold a Bible, they can’t even turn to the Psalms and pray,
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
(Psalm 23:4, NKJV)
Soldiers are lying in hospital beds all over this country because they have sacrificed themselves for us.
After receiving Audio Bibles to distribute to the injured soldiers in his care, a chaplain from Walter Reed Army Medical Center wrote to thank the partners like you who make this ministry possible.
“As chaplains who serve a special group of Americans, it’s our privilege to pass on your act of kindness to our Wounded Warriors and their families. I cannot adequately express how grateful our troops are as they undergo such difficult times in their lives. It has a positive impact and accelerates their healing, knowing someone cares. We see tragedy every day, but there are blessings in such caring generosity and compassionate acts of service. I pray that you will remember the soldiers' appreciation of your service that went 'above and beyond' the call of duty and will not be soon forgotten. You exemplify the best that America has to offer. God bless you."
We just celebrated our nation’s independence, and many of us all around America joined friends and family for a cookout, watching children laugh as the sparklers twirled in the night and fireworks lit up the sky. But too many of the men and women who fight to keep this celebration going year after year spent our Independence Day broken and hurting in a hospital bed. Please don't let their sacrifice be forgotten.
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